In this fast-paced and complex world, it is difficult to find answers to questions in a variety of fields. No single individual can be an expert in all areas of knowledge, and a single individual may have to solve many different problems while on the job or at home. Currently, it is common for a technical support desks to help computer users solve problems. Unfortunately, such a help desk typically provides information on only a limited range of topics. For example, a user does not typically use a single help desk to obtain an answer to questions about English usage, a computer graphics application, a computer business application, and pets. Additionally, help desks are sometimes expensive to use, maintain, staff, and support. In the hiring process, most help desk managers look for a high degree of technical aptitude, the ability to communicate well and empathize with the customer's (user's) situation. Thus, the technical support representative's level of emotional intelligence and specific expertise, but not necessarily their level of general knowledge, is critical to success.
Sometimes users seeking answers use computer bulletin boards to obtain answers to questions. However, bulletin board usage often requires a user to understand beforehand which precise bulletin board to use, and the posting process often does not automatically facilitate the building of persistent relationships between people, and is not optimized for obtaining high-quality and rapid answers. The communications connections between querent and responder are not always easy to automatically re-access at a later point in time.